Stories Before Sept 2016

Call me cynical, but I don't believe one bit of this stuff that is being shoveled out at KOLD in Tucson.

The station issued a statement saying that chief meteorologist Chuck George has "resigned." He's leaving the station to pursue a doctoral degree.

George has been on and off the air for years. Over the last few years, George has left the station a number of times for long absences.

He came out during a rating book and said that he was battling depression. Then a few weeks after that interview, he was suddenly gone from the air again. He never did come back.

Now word is that George has decided to leave the station.

Here are the sound bites from George and the station, neither of which we lend any credence to what-so-ever:

“This is the right time for me to pursue my lifelong dream,” George said in the news release. “I want to continue my love of science in the academic community by pursuing a career in teaching and science in academia. It is a tough decision to leave my friends and family at KOLD as well as the wonderfully supportive Southern Arizona community".

“Chuck is known for teaching viewers about the science of weather,” KOLD Vice President and General Manager Debbie Bush said. “He made weather informative and fun in Tucson. He helped hire a great team of meteorologists that, together, made KOLD the leader in severe weather coverage. He was a great team member and we’re going to miss him. We also know that this is what he wants and we want to support him.”

How refreshing would it have been for the station to be honest and say something like this:

"Chuck has taken for extended leaves from the station and while we did our best to be patient while he battles his personal demons, it was just time for us to move on."